Airway beacon



May 5, 1936. F. R. HOUSE 2,039,647

AIRWAY BEACON Filed March '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORfi'flirfi/hzlse.

. 1 AT ORNEY.

May 5, 1936. F. R. HOUSE AIRWAY BEACON' Filed March 7, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.(01. 177-352) This invention relates to airway be'acons or signallingsearchlights and has particular reference to the means for switching onand ofl the lamps in predetermined sequence. It has been found thatairway beacons require both directional beacons which preferably pointalong the airway route to the next beacon and also a. re- =volvingbeacon to attract the aviators attention. It is also desirable toprovide means for flashing preferably the directional beacons in apredetermined sequence so that the aviator may know the route number.According to my invention 1 mount both directional and revolving beaconson the same support and preierably operate the cam for flashing thedirectional beacons from the rotating beacon and also arrange the cam sothat the stationary beacons are extinguished at the time the flashingbeaeonpasses over the stationary beam. Also, prior to my invention ithas go been usual to employ a master cam-operated switch or switches onthe light, which in turn control a relay or relays for handling thecomparatively heavy current of the lamps. According to my invention Ieliminate the necessity for such a complication and in addition providea very simple, cheap, and reliable mechanism for performing thisfunctionwhich can operate for months at a time without any attention whatever onan isolated airway. Referring to the drawings in which my preferred formof the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a beacon tower showing a plurality ofbeacons mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a largerscale ofthe 85 revolving beacon, the base being shown in section. I

Fig. 3 is a detailed view in'elevation of one of the tumbler switchesfor operating one of the flashing beacons.

Fig. 4 is an end view 01 the same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the cam for operating the switch.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the control of both flashing beaconsfrom the same cam.

According to my invention, Iemploy a continuously revolving beacon Isuch as is usual pioyed for enabling an aviator to locate mm a distancethe airport and one or more sta onary directional beacons 2 and 3, whichsen o t beams in a predetermined direction usually along the boundariesof the airport; The group of beacons is shown as mounted on a suitableelevoted iramework or tower 4. All oi t he beaconsare shownas1cbmprising drums 5- pivotally mounted on trunnion arms 8 foroscillation about so that when the roller of one of the stationary ahorizontal axis. The base of the revolving beacon is revolubly mountedas by being secured to shaft '5 journaled in vertical bearings 89 in thefixed base it. Said shaft is shown as revolved by a suitable motor itthrough worm i2 on the shaft 5 thereof and wormwheei i3 on shaft 1. Onsaid shaft is also located suitable slip rings IB and for leadingcurrent into the lamp and a cam is which controls the lighting of thestationary or flashing beacons. Preferably both of said bea- 19 cons arecontrolled from the same cam as by positioning the rollers ill and it?for the switches of each beacon on opposite sides oi the cam so that thetwo beams operate at no phase relationship. The cam is shown as providedwith a 15 semi-circular raised portion dl'whioh operates to extinguishthe stationary light having its camroller bearing thereon. TheothersenJi-eircular portion of the cam is struck on a mailer radiuslights bears thereon it is lighted. The com is so synchronized with therotating beacon that as the beam of the rotating beacon approacheswithin of the beam of a stationary beacon the latter is extinguished andis lighted again as the beam of the rotating beacon leaves at theopposite 90 angle. At the same time the oppositestationary beam islighted and extinguished as will be readily understood. The cam is alsoprovided with raised portions 32- within the de- 30 pressedsemi-circular portion so that the station'- ary beams are flashed on andoil during the period they are lighted in a predetermined sequence so asto furnish the aviator with a signal informing him of the location ofthe beacon 3 and/or the course to follow in approaching and leaving thebeacon.

Each roller is'shown as mounted on the bell crank lever l9 pivoted at20. At its opposite end 4 said lever is provided with a pin 2| whichtakes 0 in the fork 22 of a supporting clamp 23 pivoted at 24. Saidclamp is provided with suitable spring clips 25, 26 and base 21 iorholding a mercury tumbler switch 28. Said switch comprises a sealed tubeplacedin a normally horizontal posi- 45 tion and partially lined withmercury or other suitable conducting fluid. Said tube is provided withdepressions 29, 30 into each of which a wire projects. When the switchis horizontal the mer-' cury closes the gap between the two wires but 50when the switch is tilted, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.3 or as shownat the righthand switch in Fig. 6, the mercury flows down into thelarger end of the tube and breaks the circuit. Iit" should .be notedthat in this type of switch,

I contact is made and broken entirely within tube 28 so that'there areno exposed-contact surfaces to become corroded or fouled; The switch,

' thereforecan easily handle the entire lamp cur- 'rent withoutdeteriorating so that no relays are necessary and the mechanism is liedand itsreliability increased.

greatly simpli- In accordance-with theprovisions or the patentstatutesfl have herein described the princi ple and operation or myinvention, together with the apparatus whichI now consider torepresentthe best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have outinteri'ering'with the more general results outnamed beacon, a tumblermercury-switch op-- lined, and the invention extends to. such use.

' Having'described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:v

1. In'an airway beaconithe combination with a revolving and a;stationary directional beacon,

both, adapted to project beams in substantially horizontalplanes, a camrevolving with said first erated thereby and in' circuit with saidsecond the first beacon sweeps through a predetermined a revolving and apair of stationary directional beacons to direct beams in diil'erent di-=rections, a cam revolving with said first-named beacon, a pair'oftumbler mercur'y switches oppositely operatedthereby and in circuit withsaid second beacons to extinguish one or the other of said stationarybeacons as the beam of the revolving beacon sweeps past the beams ofthe-stationary beacons.;.

. -f 3. Inan airway beacon, the combination with a revolving anda*stationar y' beacon, a res volving with said first named beacon, atumbler- 'mercury switch operated thereby and in circuit" with saidsecond named-beacon to extinguish it J as the-beam oi the first beaconsweeps through 'a predeterminedv'arc, said cam alsofbeing pro .videdwith additionalpnijeflons caiISe oscillation of said switch and flashingof said; second beacon within its" normalperiod. of illumina- ,tion';

4. In harm beacon, the combination with a revolving and ,apairoistationary beacons adapted to in. difi'erent directions, a 'camrevolving with said first-named beacon. a

' pair of tumbler mercury switches oppositely operthereh d-ingcimmt withsaid second namedbeaconstoextingnish oneorthaotherot said stationarybeacons-as the beam of the revoiving beacon sweeps. pastthe beams oi thewith 2. on airway beacon, the combination withairway o,oso;oiv Uinturnof eachswitch and fiashingoisaid mtionary beacons within theirnormal periods oi illumination.

5. In an electricairway beaconsystem, are.-

volving beacon, aistationary beacon i'or projecting a beam substantiallyhorizontally in a predetermined direction and mounted adiaicent saidrevolving beacon, and means actuated by the revolution 01' said firstbeacon for periodi-- cally cloflng and opening the circuit through saidstationary beacon.-

'6."In an airway beacon system, a revolving beacon, a plurality ofstationary directional beacons mounted adjacent said revolving beaconand periodically and tionary beacons.

f -7. In an electric airway beacon systcmya revolving beacon, astationary beacon mounted adjacent said revolving beacon, acamcarri'edby- "(said revolving be'acon,- and.swit ch contacts con trolling theenergization 01' said stationary bea:

con, said contacts being'o'perated by-said cam whereby they areperiodically closed and opened ,{by the revolution oi said revolvingbeacon as said I revolving beacon revolves.- namedbeacon to extinguishit as the of substantially horizontal beams in different directions, acam carried y said revolving beacon, a

plurality of sets 01 switch contacts controlling the energization ofsaid stationary beacons, said contacts being operated by saidcam to beperiodical- .ly and successively closed thereby as said revolving beaconrevolves,

oi stationary searchlights'iaced in. different-d1 said stationarysearchlights, means for revolving said'last-named light, at 'auniformrate, and

means operated by the rotation oi said last-named "light roe ext s islnt each stationary lisht in andreiighting the same as said rotatingbeam re- Y oi stationary searchlights raced indiiferent directions tosubstantially horizontal beams,

a rotatably mounted-between said. mst named light at a uniiorm rate,means operatedby'therotationatsaidlast-namedlight for 'eooh,tatiomrilishtmhirh as the rotating beam approaches the m, and

meansiorfiashingsaidstationarylig'his-in roof illumination also operatedby said rotary beacon comprising-a pairrectionstoprojectsubstantiallyhorizontal beams; i a third searchlight rotatablymountedbetween said'stationar y 8earchlights,'mean s tor revolving R om. 7

